#ProgrammingSuccess #NeverGiveUp #NonCSBackground #InspirationNeeded
Have you ever felt like giving up on pursuing your dream programming job because you didn’t come from a traditional computer science background? 🤔 Many aspiring programmers face this challenge and struggle to break into the tech industry. But guess what? There are countless success stories of individuals who persevered, honed their skills, and landed their dream programming job despite the odds. So, how did they do it? Let’s dive into some practical solutions that can help you push through and achieve your goals!
## Embracing the Journey
### Keep Coding, Keep Learning
Learning how to code can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have a CS background. Embrace the journey of trial and error, just like throwing rocks at a target. Each mistake is a learning opportunity, so don’t be discouraged by setbacks. 🎯 Practice writing pseudocode and dry running your code to improve your coding ability gradually. Consistent practice will lead to improvement over time.
### Seek Guidance and Mentorship
Don’t be afraid to seek guidance from experienced programmers or join online coding communities where you can learn from others. Connecting with mentors who have been in your shoes can provide valuable insights and support on your coding journey. Remember, everyone starts somewhere, and asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
## Pushing Towards Success
### Build a Strong Portfolio
Showcasing your coding projects through a strong portfolio can demonstrate your skills and passion for programming. Even if you don’t have a CS degree, a well-curated portfolio can speak volumes about your capabilities and dedication. đź’» Start building projects that align with your interests and showcase your unique problem-solving skills.
### Network, Network, Network
Networking is key to expanding your opportunities in the tech industry, especially if you come from a non-CS background. Attend programming meetups, join online coding forums, and connect with professionals in the field. Building a strong network can open doors to job opportunities and mentorship that can propel your career forward.
## Inspiring Stories for Motivation
### Real-Life Examples of Success
Countless individuals have defied the odds and secured programming jobs they love without a traditional CS background. Take inspiration from their stories of resilience, perseverance, and determination. Believe in your potential and know that with hard work and dedication, you can achieve your programming goals too. 🌟
In conclusion, don’t let your non-CS background deter you from pursuing your passion for programming. Embrace the challenges, seek guidance, build your skills, and connect with the tech community to push towards success. Remember, the road to your dream programming job may be tough, but with perseverance and a positive mindset, you can turn your aspirations into reality. Keep coding, keep learning, and never give up on your programming journey! 💪🔥
I come from a pure math background and spent some time teaching before moving into a SWE job in industry. To that extent, I might be considered “self taught”, but it certainly doesn’t feel like that’s the case the way some others are self taught. End of the day, I think it is important to find mentors who can help push you in the right direction, even if they aren’t taking on that role in any official capacity. Similarly, when you are ready, you should agree to mentor others who come to you asking for help. (Don’t look for mentees, that’s how you start giving unsolicited advice. Just be freely giving with the knowledge you have.)
Jobs can be fulfilling. Jobs can be well paying. Jobs can have great coworkers and be enjoyable. But don’t fall in love with a job, it will never love you back.
I secured a job with a salary I like, but I hate every minute of it. Does that count?
well I mean I probably failed/got rejected from more interviews than majority of people even bothered to send out applications (probably couple hundreds, maybe 400+ technical interviews, and probably easily 1.5-2k if you include HR phone calls, in my entire lifetime)
my attitude has always been that I’m eager, but not desperate, if you don’t want me hey no problem there are people who do want me
I did the same exact thing. Graduated with an EE degree in 2015. During that degree I maybe took 2 courses that had to do with C/C++ and I liked those courses way more than the EE stuff
After graduation I gave myself the summer to learn how to code. I had an android at the time and figured I’d build an app so I took time everyday learning on YouTube how to code in Java and build an app
During this time I started applying for software jobs and man did I bomb interviews. Like BOMB. BOOOOOOMMMMMMB. I didn’t know what an algorithm was
Eventually after 3 months I went into an interview where they didn’t really ask any programming questions — they just asked about what I did in school and how I went about learning. The interviewer asked what I had been programming and I showed him my stupid app on my phone. I was hired even though I had no experience. They wanted someone who could learn
It turns out I was literally working by myself on some random non critical internal tools that the company needed. I wouldn’t really recommend this for anyone since I was by myself. Eventually I got a mentor and learned better practices. Finally was able to move within the company to a real software team
Keep at it — the software roles have provided me with great flexibility. Working remotely and making boat loads of cash
Just keep at it. Trial and error is good way to learn. So don’t feel bad about resorting to that. Eventually you’ll gather enough concepts and experiences that you can draw from, that it will become much easier.
As for me well programming was something that I kind of just fell into and did for fun. So I never had to push, eventually companies started reaching out to me and that’s when I decided to pursue it professionally. Funnily (though it’s opposite of what you’re wanting to hear) I made a lot of poor career decisions and then found I did have to push, but after 4 years of getting no where I gave up. I still spend most of my time programming but now it’s just for fun.
Maybe consider embedded software? An EE background would transfer better.
But yes, I felt that way for a while before getting a job. Tons of rejections for 7 months, but I just kept learning, getting better, practicing. There’s no use doubting yourself if you know your value.Â
But it sounds like you’re just beginning, really. Not going to bullshit you. This market is really tough even for people with much more experience and skill. It’s not as simple as “learning to code”.Â
I struggled to get a job after nearly 3 years of work experience in the industry, a BS degree involving a lot of programming, and a lot of good personal projects on my resume/GitHub. I was also one of the most productive people on my team at my old job, working with a common tech (C# .NET), with good references.
So my 8 years of “learning to code” was not enough. I kinda blame incompetent recruiters and HR people though, because of course I finally get an interview involving a senior dev who I was able to talk to and I was offered the job. I come into the job and it’s clear that I have a lot to offer this team.Â
> I can code but it takes a lot of trial and error.
One of us, one of us, one of us
But for real, this is literally, our entire career summed up in one line. You will never really get away from this cycle of:
– I need to do x
– how do I do x
– try y to solve x
– fail
-repeat until success*
I did, I was working in chemistry for 6 years when I decided to switch. I didn’t know how to make the switch so i started pursuing a masters in data science in 2020. Half way through the masters i found a free boot camp that made their money from acting as a temp agency. I got through the program and got my dev job a month later in 2022.
I have been working as a dev since and have finished my masters. Keep at it, it’s ultimately a numbers game for the job. Since the economy is in a slump now is the best time to learn, hopefully once you’re done learning economy will turn around.
Hey OP, this might be an unpopular opinion but *throwing 5 rocks and hitting 1 target* is an awesome learning experience. That’s called hacking away, and there will be many, many times in your career where you will have to do that. If you can get comfortable with it, that’s massive.
And that said, you don’t wanna hack away at it all the time, so I’d recommend learning & refining your pseudocode, or the prep/planning/notes you develop before you code. When I started out, the easiest way for me to code was to write finished pseudocode first, and then translate finished pseudocode into real code.
I did! From a very non-tech background, sort of randomly stumbled onto software development as a good option for when my husband separated from the military and I needed to support our family while he went back to school. (This was a major event on the life horizon, so I had plenty of time to plan ahead.)
It was tough, still is, but I went into it with a “can’t give up” attitude. My training program ended in June 2022, right as things started getting bad with all the layoffs happening. But I pushed forward and found my first job in March of 2023, just celebrated my first anniversary there! It’s been really great. I’m 100% satisfied with my choice to enter into it. My only #ragret is not actually realizing how great of a career it would have been for me like…15 years ago when I was in college.Â